Written by Deborah Breen, President & CEOAspen Valley Hospital Foundation

Aspen Valley Hospital (AVH) supports the community by ensuring access to the latest technology and the very best medical professionals who provide world-class care. Advanced diagnostic imaging services are often the only way physicians can quickly diagnose patients, giving them the ability to determine the severity of internal injuries, spot abnormalities, determine the source of symptoms, and even to provide state-of-the-art image-guided biopsies and surgical procedures.

Thanks to an advanced computer net- working system, AVH also has access not only to the technology, but also to the expertise of over 90 radiologists who serve AVH through a Denver-based practice, Radiology Imaging Associates (RIA). The access to a digital highway that can easily transmit images to top-notch radiology specialists means that AVH can meet the imaging needs of our patients on par with any big city hospital.

When AVH moved to the Castle Creek campus in the mid-1970s, many of the imaging modalities didn't even exist. MRI, CT, ultrasound – all of this technology came online in later years. These were revolutionary medical advancements, as they allow physicians to see inside the body without ever making an incision. Realizing that this kind of new technology needed to not only be available, but also housed in a space where technologists can work with patients in the safest and most efficient environment possible, AVH created a new Center for Diagnostic Imaging. Along with the new Center came several opportunities to upgrade services and technology, including the purchase of a new state-of-the-art MRI, as well as the creation of a dedicated women's imaging center. These new services augment the existing CT, ultrasound, X-ray, digital mammography, fluoroscopic and nuclear medicine technology already in place. Having a partnership with RIA allows AVH to have a team of specialists always standing at the ready to read any of these diagnostic imaging tests.

"Within our large team of board-certified physicians, we have sub-specialists in every field of imaging. From musculoskeletal, to neurological, to pediatric, to breast, and everything in between, AVH has the same access to specialists as you would find in any large medical center across the country. We improve lives through clinical trials, product testing, and expert care," said Andrew Fisher, MD, MBA. Dr. Fisher is just one of the 26 on-site radiologists who rotate through AVH weekly. Dr. Fisher did his undergraduate studies at Yale, attended medical school at Duke, completed his residency at Washington University, and his fellowship in Cross-Sectional Imaging at Duke University.

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"Our physicians have constant contact with radiology specialists both on-site and remotely to discuss patient cases and read scans together," says Jo-Dee Russell, Director of Diagnostic Imaging. "Our radiologists are very accommodating and offer the utmost professional service to both our physicians and our patients. The average turn-around time for reading stat scans is just 12 minutes, less than half the national average."

To date, AVH Foundation has raised $42.7 million towards its $60 million goal. That has allowed three of the four phases of construction to be completed. If you are interested in supporting this quality-of-life project so that we can complete the final phase of this extraordinary project, please contact us!